Home Again
by RoseWinter0720
Summary: The well has been closed for 3 years, and Inuyasha still stands guard waiting for it to open. When it's finally opened, and he reachers her will things be able to be worked out? Inu/Kag M for language/content. Lemon possible in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or any of the characters.

Chapter 1: Come Home

Two golden eyes started blankly at the broken down well. The sun was high in the clear sky, and a cool breeze swept through the clearing. It was a beautiful day, but it had been beautiful before. The young boy sitting alone high in a tree cared nothing about the day, but just watched, as he always had. Eventually hunger would drive him to hunt, and exhaustion would force him to sleep, but nothing would drag him away from the well. For three straight years he had watched that damned well, and he would stay until he got what he wanted.

One snow white dog ear twitched as he heard someone approaching, and he glanced down to see a familiar face looking up at his perch. _Is it the first already?_ He wondered, looking down at the adolescent boy patiently waiting for him to say something. The boys sad little eyes seemed to make his pain worse, knowing how much Shippou was hurting always made it worse.

"Inu-Inuyasha?" He called up softly. In three years he had grown, and looked like a young man now. Inuyasha couldn't believe that this boy was the care free demon that had followed the group around for so long. He was so much more serious. For a moment Inuyasha felt a twinge of regret. He has just abandoned Shippou to Miroku and Sango when she left, and he knew that the loss had been too much for the young boy. First his parents, than the two who had become his surrogate parents.

"Nothing Shippou." He said shortly, knowing that he was being unfair to the little fox demon. With a sigh he added gruffly, "You want to come up and keep watch with me for a little while?"

Inuyasha was rewarded with one of Shippou's rare smiles. He nodded quickly and jumped up onto the limb next to the man who had slowly become a stranger to him. They sat there for a while in silence, both of them just staring at the well. Cracked and warped wood was covered in vines, obscuring most of the opening now. He used to cut them back, when they got like that. Now he couldn't bring himself to go near the well. For the first few months he had tested it constantly, trying to get through to the other side, to her. But with each heartbreaking failure he broke a little more, and he now only tried once every few months. Everyone had stayed so close for the first year, but life moved on. Soon he was the only guardian left.

"How's your training going?" Inuyasha finally asked, breaking the comfortable silence. Shippou had eventually been sent to another fox demon family for training, and returned on the first of every month to see if his mother had come back.

Shippou's face lit up. "I'm doing really really good. They say I'm farther than any other kid in my group. All the demon fighting, and they say you taught me all kinds of tricks they hadn't thought of." Shippou's little chest puffed out with pride, and Inuyasha patted him on the head.

"That's really great Shippou."

"Inuyasha, have you eaten lately? Cuz I could get you something. Maybe Kaede made something we could have?" He asked eagerly, looking back towards the village.

"I would like that."

Shippou skipped off, happy to have a task that would help out. Inuyasha smiled, feeling better knowing he'd at least done something right. Kaede always had something ready for them to eat when Shippou came, and Inuyasha always felt better after a real meal.

Thoughts of real food had his mouth watering, and he almost didn't feel it. The soft pull of the magic of the well, and he almost missed her sent softly spicing the air. Inuyasha's whole body stiffened, and his heart skipped a beat. He looked at the old well. The vines were falling into it, and a soft light was coming from the bottom. 3 years to the day, it was 3 years ago today, and nothing until now.

"K-Kagome?" he whispered softly, than yelled "Kagome!" and sprinted to the well, jumping into it's glowing depths. He let himself surrender to its magic, and the world that dragged him to her.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled, running towards her. The battle had been going on for too long, and he could see that they were all starting to falter. His body felt sore and was barley dodging the attacks Naraku was throwing at him.

Kagome was holding up her arrow, facing down the blow coming towards her with no fear. She was beautiful, a Goddess of War as she stood there. Normally he thought of her as warmer things, but here and now, she was pure steel. Miroku and Sango had their own battle, and they couldn't get to her in time. He had to reach her. That little arrow couldn't protect her, and she…would…not…

He reached her just after. The attack cut her body up, blood all over the place. Inuyasha didn't even notice at the time, that her arrow had pierced the heart of the attack, and than the heart of Naraku. He was dead. Inuyasha didn't even notice.

She was cut all down her body. The attack had left deep marks in her stomach, legs, arms. Where she wasn't cut blood was starting to cover her. Inuyasha leaned over her, his silver hair falling over her body and mixing with some of the blood. His eyes flashed red, his body tense and panicked. "Kagome?" He asked, unsure what to do. He didn't know where to touch her, how to hold her.

Kagome coughed, looking up at her favorite half demon. Her blue eyes were filled with pain, but there was something lurking behind it. As she looked up at Inuyasha she knew she loved him, and that he wouldn't understand. She couldn't watch the pain and suffering any more, all she could do was kill the bastard. Even if that put her at risk, she knew that he would die and everyone else would be safe. Miroku, Sango, Shippou, and Inuyasha, all of them would be safe. Her purpose was filled, and whatever happened now wasn't important.

"Sorry." She croaked out, lifting her hand a little, trying to reach his face. She knew he would see this as a betrayal, that he would see this as her leaving him, but she couldn't let them all die. They couldn't fight one more battle. They were too tired. It had to end here.

Inuyasha caught her hand and held it to his face. "No, this is not going to happen. You are the most stubborn damned woman in the world, and your going to give now? Fuck that woman!" He held her hand there for a moment more, before he knew what he had to do. "Kagome, look at me. Would they be able to fix this? In your time, could they fix this Kagome?" He asked, desperate, looking down at her. She was failing. "Kagome!"

She coughed, and managed to whisper, "Maybe" before she couldn't stay awake any longer. The pain was pulling her under, but she wanted to say so much more. She thought she'd have more time, be able to say a few more things. The pain was starting to dull, her mind starting to slip away. I love you. Did she say it out loud? Was it all in her mind? Inuyasha, I love you. She tried again.

"Love you…Inuyasha…Love" Inuyasha flinched, hearing her struggle to get that out. They should have had more time.

"Miroku, Sango, GET THE DAMN SHARDS" He yelled as he gathered her in his arms. He took off, flying towards the well. _I'll save you. Damn it all Kagome, I will save you. _

He ran as quickly as he could. All of his remaining strength went to getting her to that damned well. _This is all my fault. If she hadn't come through the well, if I hadn't made her do this…damn it. Damn it damn it damn it. _All he could think about was that damned well.

It was in sight, the wind pushing him towards the well faster than he thought possible. He shot his body into the entrance, feeling victory as he saw the bottom of the well start to disappear. He reached the bottom of the well, and suddenly he felt himself slammed against something solid. Kagome kept going, her torn up body flying through the well towards her time, but he was stuck, rejected from going with her.

"Kagome, shit, no, Kagome!" He yelled, but he couldn't see her anymore, and the ground was solid again. He started to pound softly on the ground, and got stronger and stronger the more fear he felt. The ground around the well started to shake, animals fled, confused by the vibrations coming from the well. An agonizing scream echoed across the forest. Every human within earshot shivered, fear sending a cold ripple up their spine.

The whole world melted away as once again Inuyasha floated in that space between times, the portal that brought him to the woman he loves. He worried for a moment what Shippou would think when he came back, but it was just a fleeting thought. All he could concentrate on was the glowing light at the end of the tunnel, the knowledge that on the other end he could be finding her, or finding out she's dead. He needed to know.

Solid ground started to form under his feet, and the walls formed in around him. The well, years older now, was around him once more. The sky was blocked out by a roof, and a building was erected around the well, protecting it from the weather. A ladder still stood within the well, standing there as a memory to the girl who used to climb up and out of it. Everything looked the same. Everything seemed to be the same.

_Where is she?_ He thought, starting to sniff and trying to locate her sent. He jumped out of the well, careful not to hit the ladder. It was hers after all. He landed in the well house, and softly opened the door. It was all still the same. The Shrine was clean and well kept, everything still where it was supposed to be. Her bike was leaning against the house, and the window to her room had a light shining inside.

Inuyasha's heart skipped, his breath coming out in short gasps. She was in there, he could smell her. Could she feel him? Would she know he was there? He knew what he wanted. He just needed to see her, to know she was alright. Even if she didn't know he was there, he needed to know she was alright.

He walked almost in a trance. Years of barley eating, and sleeping, of waiting for months upon months for that damned woman to just come through the well. Let him know she was alright. When he looked into the light of the window for a moment all he saw was his reflection. He was thin, more so than he had been in years. His hair was in knots, and his eyes looked haunted. His ears were pressed to his skull from nerves, and his cloths were covered in dirt, leaves, and tree sap. It was just a moment, but he knew he couldn't face her like this. If she was alright, he needed to get clean first, she deserved him to at least look like a human being, not an animal.

With a deep breath he looked through the window. She was older now. Her body had filled out, and he realized she must be almost 20, maybe even older. She was thin, but healthy, and her hair had grown down to her waist. She was sitting on her bed, books scattered all around her. _Keh, still doing that damn home-work thing_. Inuyasha thought, feeling better seeing this newer, older Kagome doing something she had always done. Her long hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, and she seemed to be humming something softly as she worked. She was alright. Everything was alright.

It took a moment before he saw it. Her eyes were a little more haunted, her body a little more stiff. Every once and a while she would wince and stretch out her left leg. But she was alive, and everything could be fixed.

He jumped out of the tree, and scented the air. Nearby there was a small creek, and without hesitating he washed himself for what must have been the first time in months. He combed out his silver hair, realizing that it had grown down past his knees when he wasn't looking. His body was close to starved, but the muscles were still there. He had a few new scars, and he needed to scrub his cloths for a while to get the stink out. When he was done he sat for a while, waiting for them to dry.

She was ok. She looked even more beautiful, so grown up and with a new knowledge in her eyes. She was haunted, but she had grown up. So had he.

When he got back she was still there, but she had fall asleep. Her head was pillowed on her arms, and her expression seemed so much more relaxed. Inuyasha knew she couldn't have been very comfortable, and he smiled a little as he landed silently on her window sill. He slowly opened her window, and he felt a little shiver of contentment go down his spine. He'd done this so many times, he couldn't help but feel like no time had passed, and they were the same kids they had been back then. He knew it was different though. Most of the innocence was gone, but for a moment he could pretend, and she could sleep comfortable.

He slipped into the room, still able to move around without making a single noise. For a moment he just closed his eyes and let her scent surround him, letting his mind sink back into happiness.

He crept next to her, and looked down at her. Her face was more defined, her cheeks having lost some of her baby fat, and body refined into womanhood. He couldn't believe how much she had changed in just 3 years, but knew that he had changed almost as much. She was safe, and that was all that mattered. The well had let him come back to her, and whatever happened now he would not be separated from her again. A stray hair had fallen out of her ponytail, and he swept it back behind her ear.

Gently he pulled her away from the desk, and lifted her into his arms. No matter how low he was on food and energy, she was never too much to carry for him. She was always so small, so light. Slowly he carried her over to the bed, and she curled closer to him. A small smile curled her lips, and she sighed, one hand clutching his shirt as tight as she could.

She murmured nonsensical things when he lowered her on the bed, but he couldn't bring himself to move away from her. He pulled himself down next to her, and rested his head on the pillow next to her. He would just rest for a few minutes, and than he would wait for her to wake up

He would just rest for a few minutes.

A/N:

Thank you for reading! I appreciate anything you have to say, but I'm not a fan of people who withhold chapters because they have to have a certain number of reviews. Feel free to say whatever you want, or don't say anything,

I hope you liked it!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters

Chapter 2:

He was just going to rest for a moment, but the next thing he knew he could feel the sun rising, and he woke feeling fully rested. He hadn't slept well for years, but one night back with her and he slept like the dead. She was still sleeping, her body relaxed and her heartbeat slow and steady. He was curled next to her side, his arm flung across her waist, and her head tucked against his shoulder. Her shirt had ridden up a little while they slept, and for a moment he could feel his heart breaking all over again. A light scar cut it's way across her side from under her shirt.

He hadn't thought about scars, and it hit him hard. When she killed Naraku she had been so hurt, and she would bear the marks till the day she died. It was all his fault. He hadn't protected her. He tightened his hand into a fist, trying not to let the rest of his body tense and maybe wake her up.

Her door opening startled him, and before he knew what he was doing he was up out of the bed, and his hand was around the throat of the person who had dared come near HIS Kagome. It took him only a moment to realize it was her mother, and after putting a finger over his mouth, urging her to be quiet, he released her and backed her out of the room. He gently closed the door behind him, and gave Mrs. Higurashi a sheepish smile.

"Sorry, you startled me and…" before Inuyasha could continue Mrs. Higurashi was hugging him, and he saw a quick flash of tears in her eyes.

"Oh Inuyasha, she thought you would never come for her. It's been so long, and she couldn't get back through the well. When she came back, like that…we thought you were dead. She thought you were dead. It's been like living with a shadow for years. She goes through the motions, but she's always trying to figure out what happened to you. She's been researching history books, but she couldn't for the life of her find you. Thank God, just thank God you're back."

Inuyasha was uncertain, he didn't know what to do. Crying women weren't his area of expertise, and he'd gotten worse with the lack of contact he'd had with the world lately.

"Um, I couldn't get through either. Until yesterday. Her scent came out of the well, and when I tried, it let me through. I figured she would sense it too, but maybe after so long she stopped trying?" He hadn't thought of that, but now that he had, did she want to go home?

"She tries 3 or 4 times a week. She's just been so tired lately. She's barley been able to keep awake when she gets home from school, let alone sense anything. Maybe she just needs a little rest. Well, that doesn't matter, your here, you can tell her." Mrs. Higurashi was beaming, all warm and bubbly. "Well, however things work out, how about we let her sleep in, hmm? She can miss a day of school, it's been years since she's come down with an odd 'illness', maybe she's due one." She winked as she opened to door for Inuyasha and walked away.

Inuyasha just snorted and went back into the room. He closed the door softly, and turned back to where she was still resting. He could see it now, the darker circles under her eyes, and a few lines of exhaustion. Mrs. Higurashi was right, she was too tired to sense anything. A demon could sneak right up on her, and she wouldn't notice! At that he growled a little bit, and climbed back in next to her, sitting against the headboard and glaring at the door and window, daring any demon to come and attack her now.

Kagome rolled in her sleep, facing him and threading an arm through his legs. She patted his far leg, muttering "Shh…is ok Inuyasha" in her sleep.

Inuyasha froze, than smiled. Even in her sleep she knew who he was. That was how his woman was supposed to respond damn it, and he was more than happy to let her stay the way she was. Her face was pressed up against his hip, and her hand curled around his far leg. Nope, no complaints on his end.

They lay like that for another hour before she started to stir. He had started to drift a little, not sleeping, but letting his body relax and his mind go where it wanted. When she started to move, and her body started to stiffen as she woke, he came to full awareness. She slowly stretched her body, and sighed, feeling fully rested for the first time in months. She hadn't been sleeping well lately, but last night was better than she had hoped.

For a moment she was confused, because she didn't remember getting into bed, just falling asleep at her desk. She did vaguely remember someone moving her, and figured her mom had asked Souta to move her again. Her soft drift from sleep to wakefulness was cut short when she realized that she was not alone in the bed. There was definitely someone sitting next to her.

Inuyasha felt her tense when she realized that he was there, and smiled softly when she sat up quickly and stared at him. For a moment the just looked at each other. After 3 years apart there was so much and yet, absolutely nothing they had to say to each other, not at that particular moment. She looked at him like he was going to disappear, and she needed to memorize everything about him.

She couldn't believe he was in front of her. Tears had started to form in her eyes, and there wasn't anything she could do to fight them off. She had been left at the bottom of the well, alone, and broken. All she remembered was seeing Inuyasha leaning over her, before passing out. She had cried out, and her mother had come running. It had taken months in the hospital to heal, and another few months to look at herself in the mirror. The scars had been fresh than, and she had felt so lost and alone.

He looked so thin, his cheeks almost hollow. His cloths seemed a little more baggy, but he still looked like her Inuyasha. His silver hair seemed so much longer, and his ears were twitching at every noise that they could capture. His golden eyes were fixed on her though, and she couldn't help but feel it all rush back. She loved him, and always would. And he was back, and in front of her, finally. He was alright.

"I-" Her voice broke, and she reached out, softly touching the hand he had resting on his raised knee. "I thought you were dead." She wailed, throwing herself into his arms, and crying into his shoulder.

He held her close, and tried to keep from crushing her. "I thought you were dead too. I thought that's why the stupid well wouldn't let me through. I tried, so hard, every day for months. It's ok now though, right? I'm here, and it's ok." He whispered, stroking her hair while she cried herself out.

She curled up into his lap, and slowly let herself calm down. It had been so long, and she had missed him so much. After she had been healed enough that she could walk she had immediately tried to go through the well. Time after time after time she had tried. till this day she still tried to get through every few days. She let out a little laugh. "It figures the one time I don't try the well the damn thing freaking opens." She muttered into his chest.

He started to laugh, than she joined in. Before they knew it they were both cracking up. It was hysterical, and she knew that, and he knew that, but at the moment it felt so much better than crying. After they had calmed down, she once again laid her head against his shoulder and sighed. "How did you know it was open anyway? Luck?" She asked, and shuddered at the thought. If it was just luck, than anything could have happened. They could have missed it all together.

For a moment Inuyasha was silent, and when she glanced up at his face she noticed he was blushing. "I, uh, well, I refused to leave. I stayed next to the well for all 3 years. I was lucky, because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have notice the faint traces of your scent coming out of the well. That's how I noticed. After 3 years everything had lost your scent, but there it was."

Kagome took his hand and squeezed it lightly. She couldn't believe he'd stayed, for 3 years, just waiting. She thought, after she had left him like that, after she had let herself be hurt, that he would think she had betrayed him. She thought it would take years to try and gain his trust again, if she survived, and if he was still alive.

"Your not mad at me?" She asked softly, staring up at the ceiling.

Inuyasha stiffened, confused. "Why the hell would I be mad at you, idiot. I was the fucker who let you get hurt. You were just being you, impossibly stubborn." He muttered the last part, knowing it was going to get a rise out of her.

Kagome sat straight up and glared at him. "Excuse me? I'm stubborn? What they hell do you think you are?" She snapped, glaring at him.

"More stubborn?" He responded, smiling.

Kagome let out a small laugh, and shook her head. "Alright, I can agree to that. I'm going to go get showered, I must look like crap."

Inuyasha shook his head, and pulled her back against him. "You look fine. You smell fine. It can wait."

Ah, and there was the Inuyasha she remembered so well. Stubborn, and very sure of himself. Always with the orders. Kagome just smiled this time though, willing to follow this order. She curled her arms around him, and snuggled her nose into the bend of his neck. She couldn't believe that he was actually here. He was right, she really wasn't ready to let go yet. Just a little while longer.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hmm."

"How's everyone else doing?" She asked, worried that someone else had been hurt during the attacks.

Inuyasha shrugged, and replied, "Fine. Now be quiet, I'm trying to relax here woman."

"Hey, that's not fair! I want to know how everyone else is doing!" Kagome said, sitting back a little and glaring at him.

Inuyasha cracked a single golden eye. "Make me."

Kagome let out a little frustrated huff, glaring at him. "Why are you being so difficult, I'm just asking a simple question Inuyasha. It's not like I'm asking you to do something crazy!"

Inuyasha opened both his eyes, and leaned forward, until they were just inches apart. "Everyone is alive. Everyone is ok. I'm trying to get used to you being alive, can you give me a minute before I need to think about anything else?" He asked, trying not to get mad.

Kagome immediately softened. "Of course, I'm sorry."

Inuyasha just nodded, and leaned back again, looking her over. For a few minutes they just sat like that, until Kagome's stomach started to growl. Inuyasha smirked a little, and asked "Hungry?"

Kagome nodded. She was starved. She had fallen asleep last night before she had been able to get any dinner. Inuyasha stood up and offered her his hand to help her stand. When she stood he saw the shorts she was wearing, and for a moment he couldn't look away. Another scar was wrapped around her legs, two thin lines making their way across her otherwise tanned legs. Guilt started to wrap around his heart, and he couldn't look away. He had caused that. He hadn't protected her. He had let her get hurt. He knelt down in front of her, and traced his finger along one scar, and than the other. He felt her hand rest on his head, and he looked up at her as she traced her fingers across his cheeks.

"Inuyasha, that was not your fault. I knew I might not survive, but I couldn't let them get hurt anymore. I couldn't let him hurt anyone anymore. Kikyou created him, and we share the same soul. I needed to get that burden off of me. You did your best, you saved my life." She knelt down in front of him, and held his face in between her hands. "It was not your fault. You saved me."

Inuyasha shook his head, and just stood up. "Lets get you something to eat."

She stayed on the ground for a moment, but knew that she wasn't going to win this argument right away. She needed time to convince him. They had time. She stood and followed him out of the room down into the kitchen.

After a quick breakfast, Kagome went to find her mother. After everything that she had put her mother through, she knew that what she had to do now was probably going to crush Mrs. Higurashi. Over the years Kagome had plenty of time to think, and she had come a realization. Years of living without Inuyasha taught her that she couldn't live without him. Waking up every morning know that he wouldn't be there had torn her apart. Knowing that she would never be able to tell him how she felt, hold his hand, see what could have been between them had torn at her every day. It was like the longer she stayed in her own time, the more she felt like it was the counterfeit, and the past was the home she was supposed to be in.

She had to tell her family goodbye. Kagome knew that if she went down that well there was a good chance it would never open again. Even if it didn't she couldn't risk being trapped away from him again. She would never trust the well to stay the way it used to be.

Her mother was upstairs in her little back bedroom, sitting on a window seat. Her window gave a beautiful of the shrine, and the well house out back. Kagome knew that there were already tears forming in her eyes, and the reflection of her mothers face in the window told her that Mrs. Higurashi already knew what her daughters choice was going to be, and accepted it.

"Mom…I'm so sorry." Kagome started, her eyes already overflowing. She went to sit in front of her mom, and hugged her close.

"I know hunny, it's alright. You need to do what you need to do. I won't keep you from him, I couldn't." Mrs. Higurashi's voice cracked, and she let a few tears of her own fall down her face.

Inuyasha tried his best to keep himself from barging in. He was going to let her do this. Inuyasha had spent so much time without her, he couldn't bring himself to stop her from making this sacrifice. He needed her. She would be happy with him, he knew it, but he needed to let reality hit him for a while. He hadn't even fully absorbed that he was standing in her house. It had been so long, he just wanted to grab her and take her back through the well, and feel safe with her again.

He knocked lightly on the door, suddenly realizing that he'd come up with a good idea. He opened the door a crack, and peeked his head in. "Um, sorry, but I have an idea about how Kagome can still talk to you, kinda."

Two pairs of crying eyes looked up at him, and Inuyasha was very glad he had come in with something to say, not just empty handed. "What?" Kagome asked, and he felt his heart twist a little at the twinge of hope in her voice.

"Kagome could write letters, and leave them in the God tree, maybe in a box or something to keep them safe? Than you could read them Mrs. Higurashi."

Kagome and Mrs. Higurashi paused for a moment, thinking it over. "I don't see how it wouldn't work…I mean if she puts them in something that will be safe from the weather. I would be able to get them in the present." Suddenly both women were looking at him, beaming. "I'd be able to know what happens with her life, and maybe share a little in it. I have a small metal box, you could put them in there!"

Mrs. Higurashi hurried off to get the box she had thought of, and Kagome smiled at Inuyasha. "That was a great idea Inuyasha. At least she'll always know what happened in my life. I can still be with her."

Inuyasha smiled, and they headed down the stairs into the kitchen again. Mrs. Higurashi had already packed up the rest of her things while they had eaten breakfast, and her bags rested near the door. They walked down as she packed away the last item, a medium sized metal box.

"I packed everything you might need. I know your going to want to get back as quickly as possible, just in case. I've got cloths, pictures, some first aid supplies, a book on basic herb lore and fist aid, and a few more things." Mrs. Higurashi smiled sadly at her daughter, her oldest. Souta wasn't home, he was at school, and she felt bad knowing that they wouldn't be able to say goodbye, but they didn't want to miss this chance to return, just in case. "You go ahead now, alright? Don't worry about us, we'll be ok. I love you baby girl." She whispered, hugging Kagome closely.

Everything was happening so quickly. Just this morning Kagome had woken up to Inuyasha back, safe, and now she was leaving her family to go back into the past. She couldn't help but feel a twinge of doubt, wondering if this was the right thing to do. But she knew it was, because there wasn't anything else she could do.

Next thing they knew Inuyasha and Kagome stood in front of the well, staring into it's depths. There was a moment where they both doubted that they would be able to get through, but Kagome could feel the power of the well, and Inuyasha could smell the forest.

Inuyasha looked over at her for moment. He had to ask, he couldn't just have her do this and not at least ask. "Are you sure?"

Kagome smiled softly up at him. This was what she wanted. She knew this was going to be hard, maybe a lot harder than she thought. Right now they were both just too happy to know the other was alive to fight, but she knew sooner or later they would get in a fight. For now she would just be happy with what she had, and when they fought she would remember what she had almost lost. She couldn't lose him again, and if the cost of that was her family she had to give them up. Maybe some day she would be able to see them again, but if not she would be thankful for the man she saw in front of her, and the family she had waiting for her on the other side.

"I'm sure Inuyasha, lets go home ok?"

He nodded, and they both jumped down into the well, hand in hand. They felt reality slip away from them, and the tunnel between their worlds opened.

A/N:

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.

Chapter 3:

The ground started to form back under their feet, and the walls of the ancient well became solid around them. The sun was shining down on the young couple, and both their spirits seemed to lift. Inuyasha turned to Kagome and wrapped his arms around her waist, than lifted them both out of the well. He quickly let go of her, and took a step back. The surety he had felt at the Higurashi shrine started to fall away as he looked at the beautiful woman in front of him. They were in his time now, and he knew that no matter how much he cared about her they would never be accepted as a couple. How could he put her through that kind of isolation?

Before Kagome could express her confusion out loud a shout rang out from the trees. "KAGOME!"

A blurred shape ran towards her, a flash of red hair all that anyone could see. Kagome braced herself, ready to catch the young fox demon against her chest. She almost fell over when instead he wrapped his arms around her waist, and pressed his head into her stomach. He had grown from the little boy she remembered, and now he was a little man. The innocent child that had followed there group around wasn't so little any more.

"Oh Shippou, look how big you are." Kagome murmured, kneeling down and pulling him into her arms. She held him close and looked up at Inuyasha, unsure what to do. She didn't know this boy, this grown up boy.

"Kagome you were gone and I didn't know what to do and Inuyasha couldn't get to you and there was so much blood we thoughts you were dead, and Inuyasha was so upset, he got so mad, and I why didn't you come back?" He wailed, holding her closer.

Kagome's heart broke and she held him a little closer. "I couldn't get through either Shippou. We were both trapped. I'm so sorry, shhh, it's ok. I'm not leaving anymore." She started to rock him, and looked back up at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha sighed, and shrugged. He didn't know what to do, or what to say. He'd kept himself so isolated these last few years, he barley remembered how to be civil, let alone how to comfort a distraught child. He had to try though, and he knelt down in front of Shippou and Kagome. Gently he placed his hand on Shippou's back, and said softly, "Ah, she really is back for good. And look, she's alright!"

It took a little while longer, but slowly he started to calm down. Just as he started to relax he turned and saw Inuyasha. Shippou's sad eyes suddenly turned to angry, and he jumped on Inuyasha yelling "You bastard! I went to get you something to eat and you were gone! You haven't left that damn tree in years, and I come back and your GONE! Why didn't you tell me. I thought you were…"

Inuyasha picked Shippou up by the collar and held him off. "Stop hitting me already! You wanted me to wait? What if the damn well closed and I couldn't get to her?" Inuyasha yelled, glaring at the young boy squirming in front of him.

"Inuyasha, don't yell at Shippou, he was scared! How'd he know you were going to be coming back?" Kagome snapped, plucking Shippou out of Inuyasha's grip.

There was a moment where all three of them went silent and than Shippou grinned. "Well I guess nothing's really changed all that much…"

Kagome let out a small laugh and hugged him quickly. It was nice to see that no matter how much time had passed, some things never really did change. With a smile Kagome let go of Shippou and stood up, brushing the dirt off the back of her jeans. "Speaking of food, I'm starved. Lets go see what Kaede's got cooking."

They headed off towards the village, looking altogether like a mismatched family. Shippou stood in between the two adults, and chattered about what he'd been doing the last few months. Kagome tried to listen closely, but she kept on getting distracted by Inuyasha. He was paying close attention to what Shippou was saying, and every once and a while would snort in contempt. "That's all they've been teaching you? What do they think you are, made of glass? Geez, I thought you'd be learning something with those morons." Inuyasha scoffed, shaking his head.

"That's what I was trying to tell you earlier Inuyasha! If you had _stayed_ long enough to listen to me, I would have told ya sooner! They haven't taught me anything we didn't do when we were fightin Naraku. You taught me way better than them." Shippou said, he's tone almost a exact match of Inuyasha's.

Kagome couldn't help but smile. It seemed they hadn't really seen each other in years, but Shippou still looked up to Inuyasha. He was even trying to walk like Inuyasha. It was sweet, and she tried her hardest not to smile.

Inuyasha peaked out of the corner of his eye to look at Kagome, struggling not to smile at their conversation. Inuyasha didn't need to read her mind to know she was thinking something he probably wouldn't like.

"Inuyasha, since Kagome's back and everything, do you think maybe I could come back and learn from you again?" Shippou asked, everything coming out in a rush.

Inuyasha first instinct was to snap at him, and say hell no. He just got Kagome back, he didn't need some runt following them around. Plus Shippou was getting older. He needed to mark out his own damn territory soon.

Kagome beat him to saying anything though. "Of course you can come back Shippou! You can come and live with me! I still don't understand why you were sent away in the first place." This was followed by a glare at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha just glared back. They were not getting into this fight right now, because he would so win. He didn't want to have to tell her 'I told you so' so quickly after she got back after all. That would rude.

Shippou let out a loud shout, and skipped his way back to the village, leaving them behind as he went to tell Kaede the good news. Kagome smiled after him, completely unaware of the conflict she had just caused Inuyasha.

"Kagome, where do you plan on living anyway?" Inuyasha asked, realizing that they really didn't have a place to live.

Kagome paused, and looked over at him, her head tilted slightly to the side in confusion. "I-I don't know. I never really thought about it. I just figured I could built my own hut or something?" Now that Kagome really thought about it, she wondered what she had been thinking. Did she think that just because she came to live with him in the past Inuyasha would want to live with her? All the self doubt she'd felt when they had been together years ago came back to her, and she started to wonder if he even wanted to live with her. She'd just assumed that they would. You know what they say about people who assume.

There was an awkward silence as they tried to figure out exactly how to bring up where they were going to live. Inuyasha sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Even if you get your own hut Shippou really shouldn't stay with you."

Kagome immediately felt hurt. "What, you think I can't take care of him? That I wouldn't be good enough?" She asked, glaring at him. They had paused just outside of the village.

The villagers for a moment were going to go welcome Kagome's return, until they saw the expression the two companions had on their faces. They knew better than to go over there when that kind of conversation was going on. They had a tendency to get very volatile.

"Damn it Kagome that's not what I meant!" they heard the nice half demon boy yell. Any villagers with the idea to welcome her back quickly turned back, and went back to their work. Now would not be a good time to approach the couple.

Kagome was stomping her way towards the village, her emotions once again diving down. "Not even a day back and you already had to tell me that I can't handle something, or I'm not good enough at something. God Inuyasha, some things really never change." She snapped, heading towards Kaede's hut without looking back at him.

She would have just kept on going without a second glance, but he jumped over her and landed lightly in front of her. He put both of his hands up, signaling for her to stop, and he gave her a slightly pleading look. "That is not what I meant Kagome, just give me a second to explain."

Kagome stopped and crossed her arms defensively in front of her. She wasn't nearly this insecure with anyone else in her life. He was supposed to be the person who always made her feel like she could do anything, not the one who made her want to cry. With a resolve she'd developed after loosing him so abruptly and having to move on with her life, she walked forward until they were just a few inches apart. She leaned her head back and looked him straight in the eye, anger written all over her.

"Inuyasha, we need to have a place to live. Shippou needs someone to take care of him. If you don't think I can do that, well damn it, I can. I'll do my best, and you will just have to help me. Understood?" She took another aggressive step forward, and thought she saw something spark in his eyes, before he closed them with an exasperated expression on his face.

Inuyasha couldn't believe she was this close to him. Since they had come through the well they had both kept their physical distance, but here she was, standing in front of him ready to defend her relationship with Shippou to the end. Something in side of him seemed to spark. He wanted to do…something. He wasn't sure what, but he knew that something had changed.

He covered it up, sure that she wouldn't want to deal with his feelings right now. They were fighting, not exactly the right moment to pause and ask about what an emotion might mean. Not that he'd ask her anyway.

"Kagome, Shippou can't live with anyone. He's way too old to live with his parents, he needs to find a territory of his own. He could build his own hut, but he needs to do it on his own. He can even stay in my forest, take a corner of it for himself. It has nothing to do with you." Inuyasha explained, trying to keep her from moving past him.

"He's only a kid Inuyasha! He's not old enough to live on his own at all." Kagome countered, glaring at him. They were still only inches apart, and she stood on tip toe to growl low, "Not to mention he hasn't any kind of parent for 3 years. Don't think I missed the fact that he was sent away. We'll talk about your reasons later, but right now he needs his family!"

Inuyasha growled back, leaning down until she was forced back flat on her feet. His instincts had taken over, and he couldn't allow anyone, not even Kagome, to look him in the eye and try and dominate him. He was a dog demon, and he would not let anyone act like that with him. Kagome refused to remove eye contact, but she could feel him taking control of the situation. He was not going to let her walk away without some form of submission.

As her anger started to fade, Kagome realized just how close they were. His face was inches away from hers, and he was looking down at her like he would do anything, anything, to get her to back down. A low warmth started to spread through her, and she couldn't take her eyes from his for a whole different reason. She could feel him right in front of her, and the full force of his eyes made her knees suddenly seem weak. Her breathe hitched, and she couldn't remember why they were fighting. All she knew is that he wanted to make her back down, and she couldn't look away from him.

Inuyasha needed her to look away. He could feel the change, see how she was softening, her breathe was coming out in shorter bursts. Her scent had a whole knew spice to it, and if she didn't stop looking at him like that he was going to do something that would make them both uncomfortable. He knew what he wanted to do, but she wasn't anywhere near ready for that, and if she didn't look away he was going to burry his hands in her hair and drag her forward until she gave him a whole different kind of submission.

"Look down Kagome." Inuyasha's voice came out as a growl, lower than normal, with a harsh side that she didn't know he had. It took everything in him to say that, to try and stop what was happening. He crowded closer to her, using his whole body to aggressively try and make her back down. "Look down!" He snapped.

Kagome's eyes flew to the ground, her head turning slightly to the side, exposing the long length of her neck. Inuyasha took three very large steps backwards. That was too close, that was way too close. Back for half a day and she was already messing with his instincts, drawing out the side of himself that he tried the hardest not to remember.

Kagome took a small step forward, trying to figure out what exactly was going on. "I-Kagome, you really need to stay back. Just, stay back there." Inuyasha muttered, not looking at her. His eyes were closed, and he was turned a little away from her, his hands buried in his hair.

Kagome stayed were she was, waiting for him to explain what she should do next. She wasn't going to move until he told her to. He had won their battle, and now she had to do what he said, for the next little while at least. She also needed a moment to collect herself. Whatever had just happened was important, she just couldn't figure out exactly what it was that happened.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome murmured, trying not to be too invasive, but wanting to know what to do next.

"Shippou needs his own home. He might look like a child, but Kagome he's well over the age that a demon is expected to create his own territory. I was on my own a lot younger than he is, and I survived."

Kagome felt a flash of guilt as she remembered what he had been through. Of course he would think Shippou was old enough to live on his own, he had been thrown out on his own when he was much younger, and he wasn't given any help. "Can he live with me for a little while?" Kagome asked hopefully.

"No." Inuyasha growled, and he knew that he should have brought that out less abruptly, but he was still trying to calm down his demon, and she was asking to live with another demon in the house? That was not going to happen. Inuyasha sighed, and took a moment to calm himself down. "He can't get used to it. He knows what's expected of him. The fact that he even asked shows that he's trying to go back to how things were, but it's too late for that. He cannot live with you."

Kagome nodded, trying to hold back the tears. She knew that he would be older, but she had thought they would have a few more years of him being a baby before he would leave. She'd missed what his people would consider his childhood, and now she needed to treat him like an adult. Her heart broke a little at the idea, but she knew that Shippou would stay close, that he would still let her cuddle him whenever she wanted.

"He can stay in your forest? Build his own place?" Kagome asked softly, hope making her voice soft.

Inuyasha just nodded, not wanting to talk about it anymore. "We'll talk it out. He'll understand."

"Thank you."

Inuyasha just muttered a soft "keh" and started heading towards the village. They needed to talk, really talk, and soon. In fifteen minutes she had managed to break down all of his barriers. He knew that part of it had to do with the fact that he hadn't dealt with people in so long he was out of practice, and he would work on that. Now that it had started though, he knew it would be almost impossible to stop. His demon side had acknowledged her, and either he went with it, or he would spend all of his time fighting it. He didn't plan on fighting it, but that wasn't the point. He needed her to understand what she did affected him more strongly now.

Three years at this stage in a demons development were crucial. He had gone from the young adult he was, to a more mature demon, who was ready to take on all that that entailed. He was ready for things that he hadn't been before, and one of those things was the finding and keeping of a mate. He knew what he wanted, and he was pretty sure she did too, but that didn't mean it was just going to fall into his lap. They had to get to know each other again, but until than, she needed to stop pushing he's damned buttons. Did human males not react like this at all? Didn't she understand that by defying him she was begging for him to make her submit? He could still see the light in her eyes, when the anger had turned to something else, and he couldn't help but smirk a little.

She would learn, and she would know when to give in. He would teach her the easy, or the hard way, but either way she would know the difference between when to stand up to him, and when to stand down. He smirked a little, knowing that if she didn't he would take great pleasure in showing her exactly how to give in.

He came back to himself when they reached Kaede's hut, and he wasn't exactly sure how they had gotten there. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he had just followed were Kagome had lead him. He snorted to himself. _Yeah, follow the girl without paying a damn bit of attention. Yup, take control Inuyasha. _

Kagome gave him a strange look. He hadn't looked her in the eye since the had entered the village, just followed behind her and thought about god knows what. She wasn't sure if he was upset with her, or if he was just trying to calm down, but she was thankful for the momentary break. She was still trying to catch her breath after being so close to him, and having all that intense concentration focused on her.

Kagome hesitantly knocked on the side of the hut, poking her head in to see if there was anyone in there. There was a small fire going in the center of the hut, and a pot simmering on top of it with a wonderful smelling stew cooking inside. Sitting beside the fire was Kaede, the same as she always had been, stirring the contents of the pot with a calm expression on her face.

Tears started to blur Kagome's view of the hut, and before she knew what was happening she was hugging Kaede gently, crying into her shoulder.

Kaede slowly stroked Kagome's back, laughing softly and letting the young woman cry. "I missed ye too child. Now here we are, back together again. See, all is well, hush."

Inuyasha stood next to the door, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Kagome reunite with the old hag. He couldn't believe how emotional she was getting. He didn't like it one bit. She needed to stop crying and eat something damn it. He shifted uncomfortably and glared at the two women. Kaede smiled at him, shaking her head to keep him from coming over.

Kagome finally calmed down, and settled in next to the woman who had meant more to her than she had expected. She thought maybe it was a residual connection from when her soul had been Kikyou, and Kaede was her sister, but she also knew that she had created a relationship all her own with the gentle old woman.

Kagome and Kaede caught up, and Inuyasha ducked out of the hut, letting them do whatever it was they wanted to do. He was still full from breakfast, and thought maybe it would be better to ease back into regular meals. It took him only a moment to figure out what he wanted to do, and even less time to locate Shippou.

Shippou was just a few huts down, gathering some wood for the cooking fire. Inuyasha sighed and decided to take care of this instead of leaving it to Kagome. She had enough to deal with, she didn't need to feel guilty about turning out Shippou.

"Hey, runt, we need to talk." Inuyasha said gruffly, pulling Shippou aside.

Shippou lowered his head, knowing what was coming. He was getting too old, and there was no way Inuyasha was going to let him stay anywhere near Kagome until they'd worked out there crap, and all demons knew how possessive dog demons got. At least he'd been able to see her for a little while before Inuyasha drove him out of their territory.

"Look, Inuyasha, I get it. I'm not a dog demon, I'm not a kid, and you need me out of your territory. Can I at least say bye before I head out?" Shippou asked, sounding a lot more mature than when he'd talked to Kagome. His head was turned away from Inuyasha, looking out across the rice fields.

Inuyasha snorted, and glared at the little shit head. "You really need to let Kagome hear you talk, and not sound like you're still a brat. She thinks you can't handle being on your own, that you'll fall apart without someone to take care of you."

Shippou nodded, smiling a little. "I missed her taking care of me."

"Here's the deal, you can't live with us. You know you are way too old to be living in anyone else's home. We can go into my forest, and you can pick out a small territory in it. Conditions are that you need to build your own house, without any help. If I'm going to just give you your first territory you need to damn well build your house on your own. You can visit us, but you can't stay for longer than one night, and you can't come out of your territory until you have completely finished building your hut. Understood?" Inuyasha looked Shippou in the eyes. This was the test all demons had to go through. Usually they had to fight to break out their own piece of territory, but he was willing to give Shippou that part of it, because they were family. Even if it was a little bit of an odd family.

Shippou couldn't believe what he was hearing. What Inuyasha was offering was the equivalent of what the oldest child of a demon got, and only after they had fought and proved themselves in battle. "Inuyasha, that's…are you sure? Do you wanna at least fight me for it or something? I mean, not that I want to fight you, but something?" Shippou stuttered, not sure how to accept without sounding ungrateful.

Inuyasha just raised an eyebrow, looking at Shippou like he was nuts. "I just handed you the perfect deal, and you want to fight over it? What? Seriously, because I think accepting it and just thanking me would be enough."

Shippou nodded, and muttered, "Thank you Inuyasha."

Inuyasha nodded, and pushed Shippou towards Kaede's hut. "Go talk to Kagome for a while, then we'll go stake out your territory. Hurry it up."

A/N:

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.

Chapter 4:

Inuyasha dodged a branched as he and Shippou made their way through the thickest part of the forest. The corner they had decided would be his was not too far from the village, but far enough that Inuyasha wouldn't feel crowded if he decided to settle next to village himself. Shippou was so excited he was bouncing, the sad emotions from telling Kagome goodbye leaking away once they started to get close to _his_ territory. Shippou couldn't believe how excited he was getting, he knew it was just a small piece of land, but knowing that it was his piece of land was enough to make him want to shout.

Inuyasha smiled at how much enthusiasm Shippou was showing. He knew that he couldn't point it out, because Shippou was trying his hardest to hide it, but he was glad at least someone was getting excited about this. Inuyasha knew when he got back to Kaede's hut he was going to get an earful from Kagome. She didn't think Inuyasha had given Shippou enough land. That was going to be a whole different kind of fight. He was not looking forward to it.

Inuyasha couldn't completely understand how Shippou felt. Sure, he could guess what it would feel like to get his own territory, but Inuyasha had fought for his land. The part he was giving to Shippou was worth it, but this forest had been won through blood. Inuyasha preferred not to think about that, and it didn't really matter. He just wish he could have as much excitement about gaining a territory as Shippou. If his Dad had lived…but that didn't matter.

Inuyasha paused, and waited for Shippou to notice. He smirked a little when Shippou turned back towards him. "This is it. Your territory starts here. You lose it I am not helping you get it back, understood?"

Shippou nodded, looking a little nervous. He'd never had to really defend his own territory, but he knew Inuyasha was serious. If Shippou lost the land that had been given to him Inuyasha would not come to his rescue. Holding your own territory was serious business, and it really started to dawn on Shippou that he was going to be defending this piece of land for a very long time.

Inuyasha just waived and started to walk back towards the village. "Don't let me see your ass until you've got a decent place to live build, you understand runt?" He called back over his shoulder. Without looking back Inuyasha kept on going. This wasn't his territory anymore. Shippou needed to figure it out on his own, and Inuyasha had some work to do before he went back for Kagome.

Inuyasha hurried his pace, eventually reaching a full out run. He stopped right before the edge of the forest that overlooked the village, than headed back a little farther into the woods. When he could no longer hear every noise the villagers made, but could still hear if the screamed or set up the alarm Inuyasha stopped. It would take about a week, but Inuyasha was going to do his own building.

There was a small clearing that would be his starting point. He knew almost all the different corners of this forest. He'd been here for so long, he couldn't imagine what it would be like to build something knew. He was an outdoors kind of person, but he knew she would need somewhere safe to sleep. He would make that for her.

The clearing was too small for the size of the house he wanted to make, so he spent most of the next two hours expanding the clearing, and making sure that there weren't any dangerous animals nearby that he needed to get ride of now, before he brought her anywhere near this place. The trees that he pulled up from the ground he laid out in a neat pile, knowing that once he stripped the branches off, and smoothed out the wood he would be able to use it for the foundation.

He worked hard, and he worked quickly. He wanted to get back to her as quickly as possible, not wanting to be parted from her any longer than necessary. He also didn't want her to know what he was doing. He wanted her to be surprised, and maybe if he gave her a place to live she would be able to forgive him for not keeping her safe. He would build this house, and he'd always be able to keep her safe. This was going to be the one place he'd always know he could keep her safe.

He finished up quickly, and dunked himself into a small pond behind the house. Wouldn't make sense to go back smelling like shit, and covered in dirt and dust. He was just supposed to be showing Shippou around his new home, not building one himself. Of course Shippou could do that on his own. Boy had a nose didn't he? He'd find any critters he needed to kick out, and other than that he'd be fine. A few nights without a roof over his head or someone to cook him dinner wouldn't kill him.

Speaking of dinner, Inuyasha had finally started to feel hungry again. He pulled on his cloths, and looked over his work, making sure there wasn't anything he had forgotten. The clearing had been almost doubled in space, and he'd gotten enough would to build the start to a nice little home. Of course over the years he could always add on to it, but for now this was what he needed.

He weaved his way through the trees back to his Kagome, the twilight keeping the forest mostly in shadow, but that didn't bother him. When he got close to the village he slowed down. No point in scaring the villagers. He walked his way through the little village, and realized that people were smiling at him as he walked past. The only times he'd come to the village in the last few years was when the alarm had been struck, and he came to kill whatever demon was foolish enough to try and attack a town under his protection. Most didn't try anymore. The demons were under the mistaken impression that Inuyasha had killed Naraku, and anyone who could kill that bastard must be strong. He'd never bothered to correct them, and tell them that a young human woman had been the only one with the courage enough to get close and kill Naraku. He preferred not having to fight all that much.

The villagers greeted him with the same warmth they had before he had so abruptly stopped coming. He didn't know any of them very well, but considering how short lived they were he probably wouldn't ever become too close to them. He'd been trapped to a tree for only 50 years, and look hold old Kaede had gotten! The villagers still treated him like he mattered, and it was an odd sensation every time it happened. For them it had been 50 years since his confrontation with Kikyou, but to him it was right around the corner. He had just gone through all that not five years ago, but to them he was a nice young demon that cared about their village. He didn't know how to accept it sometimes, and most of the time he just tried to ignore it.

His attention was drawn away from the nice villagers and to the young woman coming up to him. She had been in Kaede's hut, he could smell the old woman on her, and whatever they had been cooking up for dinner. He was starting to really want something to eat. Kagome smiled softly at him when he got close to her. She wasn't completely happy with him, but she didn't really have any place to complain. He was doing his best for Shippou, and she knew that, on some level.

"How'd it go? Did he settle in alright?" Kagome asked, excited to know how Shippou had liked his new home.

Inuyasha nodded, not wanting to lie, but exactly knowing what to say. "He seemed really excited." was what he finally decided on.

Kagome tiled her head to the side slightly, looking at him for a long moment. She knew he was holding something back, but what she couldn't tell. He wouldn't hide something from her, not so soon after she'd given up everything for him, right? He was looking at her with that same smirk on his face, and he looked so damn good. The sun was setting, and twilight had started to settle around them.

"Inuyasha, Kaede said we could have dinner at her hut, but there is an empty hut near the edge of the village. Until I can come up with something of my own, she said we could stay there." Kagome smiled at him, and lead him back towards Kaede's.

Dinner was a simple gathering of the three of them, with basic fair. The longer they stayed, the more nervous Inuyasha got. He wasn't sure he could handle an entire night alone with Kagome. He had thought they would stay at Kaede's hut for at least a week before they would be expected to find their own place. He didn't know what the hell he was going to do. They had been apart for so long, he didn't want to wait any longer, and if they were alone he wasn't sure he'd be able to fight those instincts.

Before Inuyasha knew what was going on they were headed towards the new hut, and he was fighting with Kagome about Shippou. The fight went as he expected, Kagome trying to convince him that one little corner of the forest wasn't enough, and Inuyasha snapping about how at least he'd given the brat something and hadn't just kicked him out of his territory completely. They continued to fight until they were inside the hut. It was a small one room building, with a small curtain separating what was supposed to be the bedroom area.

Kagome went back behind the curtain, still trying to convince Inuyasha that Shippou was a good kid, so didn't he deserve just a little more space? Inuyasha was fuming.

"Would you just appreciate the fact that I didn't kick his little runt ass out, and be happy I let him take some of that land? I worked my ass off for it, he gets what I want to give him. He's damn well grateful, why aren't you?" Inuyasha snapped, fed up with her attitude. She'd been back one freaking day and already they were fighting over Shippou.

Kagome gave an exasperated sigh from behind the curtain, "Inuyasha, what if he finds some nice girl in a few years? How are they supposed to spread out on such a small piece of land?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. It was so Kagome to be concerned about some maybe girl that Shippou would find in 10 years. "Kagome he'll be fine. He wants more territory he can fight me for it, the way most demons get their damn territory. I'll even go easy on the little shit."

Kagome came out from behind the screen in her pajamas, and Inuyasha didn't hear a word she said. He was still frustrated, still angry, but all he could do was stare at her. She had put on some skimpy little short, barley an cloth covering her upper body. Two thin little straps went up over her bare shoulders, and tiny little shorts covered very little of her long legs.

He was across the room in a moment. Kagome pressed herself against the wall, letting out a startled yelp. Inuyasha's arms caged her in, and his body was pressed within inches of hers. The anger he'd been feeling before was transformed and he couldn't make himself back away from her. He leaned in closer, taking a deep breath. Her scent still had slight hints of fear and anger, but it was quickly being replaced with something a little spicier, a little more alluring.

Inuyasha leaned in and placed his lips next to her ear, allowing one hand to slide up above her head, and the other to slide underneath the strap of her tank top. "What the fuck do you think you're wearing?"

Kagome couldn't breath, her mind was completely caught by what Inuyasha was doing. He had her trapped, but she knew he wouldn't hurt her. His lips brushed lightly against her ear when he talked, and it sent shivers down her spine. When his hand slide underneath the strap of her tank top and stroked the skin there she was forced to place her hand on his waist to steady herself. She'd never had him so close, and the way he was making her feel was almost too much, too intense. Kagome wasn't sure exactly how to handle it. His hand slid just a little lower, and Kagome took a quick deep breath, not sure what to do.

Inuyasha trailed his mouth lower, letting his lips press lightly along her neck until he reached her collar bone. Her breath was coming in quick short bursts, and the hand she had placed on his waist gripped his cloths tighter. Her head started to tilt to the side, allowing him easier access to where he wanted. The finger he had under the strap of her shirt placed the strap back in place gently. His hand skimmed down her arm, until it came to rest on her waist. His hand wrapped around the side of her body, his thumb finding its way under her shirt, making small circles on her skin.

"I asked you a question, Kagome." Inuyasha murmured against her skin, letting his hand trail even lower, drawing circles on her thigh right below the edge of her shorts.

Kagome let a small noise escape her, and her hand slide up his body to grip his shoulder. Inuyasha growled low in his throat, and pressed his entire body along hers. He grabbed her wayward hand and pinned it up above her head, pressing it into the wall. She could feel all of him, pressed against her. Kagome leaned her head forward and rested it on Inuyasha's chest, unable to think.

Inuyasha's hand slide slowly up her shorts, until his fingers were pressed hard into her hip. He growled again. He couldn't think, she had driven him beyond any sense of sanity. His entire body was on fire, and all he wanted was to touch her. His human mind had left him, and the demon in him wanted to make her understand what she had done to him. Every part of him ached to be pressed against her, skin to skin. She was barley wearing anything, but it was still too much. His cloths were holding him in, keeping him from really feeling her.

Kagome let out a small gasp when he pulled back from her for a moment. He took her other hand and swiftly pressed it above her had with the other. He had her trapped with just one hand, and Kagome knew she wouldn't be able to escape. Slowly her mind started to realize what was happening. She had put on her regular pajamas, and somehow she had become pressed against the wall, trapped by Inuyasha.

"I-Inuyasha? What are you doing?" Kagome asked, not sure she liked the look in his eye. She felt so flustered, unsure what to do. He looked so intense, his golden eyes tracing their way down her body. Everywhere his eyes went started to tingle, like it was his hands touching her, not just his eyes. Kagome managed to say his name one more time before he started to remove his shirt.

Inuyasha quickly disposed of his top, switching the hand trapping her so he could throw it completely off. He smirked a little when Kagome's eyes started to widen. He loved that she smelled just a little like fear, the demon side of him enjoying the idea that she knew he wanted to do dirty things to her, and that even though she was frightened, she was still completely turned on. Her scent was driving him mad, and he slid his free hand up her arm until it had found her hands trapped under his. He held both of her hands in his, slowly lowering them until they were at waist height. He placed on of her hands on his now naked waist, and the other on his bare chest. He buried his nose in the bend of her neck, his hands resting finally on her waist. He slowly licked her skin, drawing the taste of her into his mouth. He loved how she tasted, and he knew it was going to be hard to resist her from now on. He kissed his way slowly up her neck, enjoying how she tilted her head to the side. That was how she should react, and the demon in him knew that his bitch was ready for him. She had completely surrendered to him, and it made him crazy.

Inuyasha slowly reached the edge of Kagome's mouth, teasing her by coming so close, but not actually kissing her. A low, longing sound escaped her lips, parting them as Inuyasha looked at her. "I-Inuyasha?" She whispered, her eyes still closed, the hand on his chest pressing harder against him.

Kagome couldn't think, her mind totally focused on his mouth, hands, body. He was pressed close to her, his bare chest pressed against her and trapping her hand between them. He kept the lower half of their bodies slightly separated, but she wasn't focused on what wasn't touching her. What she wanted was for him to kiss her, really kiss her. It had been so long, she just wanted him to finish what he had started.

Inuyasha nuzzled her cheek, and kissed the edge of her mouth. He knew he was teasing her, but the way her body responded to being teased was like a drug. Every time she thought he would kiss her, her heart rate speed up, and her breath came out in short bursts. Finally he couldn't stand teasing her anymore, he needed to kiss her. He softly placed his lips on hers.

Kagome moaned, and pressed her lips more firmly against his. Everything was on fire. She couldn't think, she just needed to feel more of him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her whole body along the line of his, standing slightly on tiptoe. His mouth dominated hers, and swallowed her small gasp when she felt his excitement pressed firmly against her stomach.

Inuyasha was drowning. He couldn't stop kissing her, and when she pressed her body fully against his, he couldn't help but press her even harder into the wall. He pulled her hips closer to his, loving how her body felt against him. His hand drifted higher up her side, brushing just below her chest.

For a moment Inuyasha considered continuing, but he realized just how far things had gone. With a groan he ripped himself away from her and jumped back to the other side of the hut, breathing deeply. His body screamed at him to go back to the woman across from him, but he held himself back. He was trying to catch up, trying to get his mind back in a normal state.

Kagome let herself slowly lower herself to the floor. Her body was trying to understand how he was just suddenly gone, while her mind continued to draw a blank. Everything had happened so fast. From the ground Kagome looked at Inuyasha, happy that at least he was having as much trouble as she was. She finally started to pull herself together, but couldn't understand what was going on.

"Inuyasha, what, what just happened?" Kagome stuttered out.

Inuyasha looked at her, on the ground, knees tucked up against her chin. A slight smile crossed his face for a moment, thinking about how cute she looked like that. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms in front of him.

"What the hell are you wearing?" He muttered.

Kagome looked down at her cloths, confused by what the big deal was. "Um, a tank top and pajama shorts? It's hot out, I didn't want to sweat all night." Kagome looked at Inuyasha like he was crazy. "You reacted like that to my shorts and tank top? My school uniform was just as short! What's the difference?"

Inuyasha just glared at her for a moment. "It's different. At least your shirt covered up the rest of you, now it's like your not wearing freaking anything!" he snapped.

"Um, you're the one not wearing a top. Mine's still on at least." Kagome taunted, though she really didn't mind him being shirtless. The view was always a nice one when he decided to go shirtless. As her attention was drawn to his chest she realized that he was a little skinnier than he had been before. He wasn't unhealthy looking, but he had lost weight. He still had the lean sexy muscle she'd always loved, but there was less of it, and he looked like he could use a good meal.

Kagome's smile dropped away, and she stood. Slowly she walked over to him, a little frown turning her expression into a cute pout. Inuyasha held himself very still, not sure what she was doing. Kagome stopped just in front of him, and placed her hand gently on his chest, just below his heart. She slowly trailed her hand over his arms, and along his stomach. She still looked upset, pouting at him like something had really upset her.

"You've lost weight." She finally said, and her hand finally came to rest right above his belly button.

Inuyasha flinched a little, but otherwise stood there calmly. Her hand was driving him a little crazy, but he could control himself for the moment. When her hand settled he was able to really pay attention to what she said. "It's fine. I'm fine. You should go to bed, it's getting late, and I don't know what we'll be doing tomorrow."

His tone was gruff, and she knew this was something else they would have to talk about, but it would have to wait. Things were still a little weird, and they both needed to calm down. Kagome nodded slightly, and turned to go back behind the curtain. A bed was already set up for her, and she lay down.

Inuyasha could hear her shift around slightly in her bed, unable to fall asleep right away. He knew that she felt just as tightly wound as he did, but there wasn't anything he could do to help either of them. He knew when she eventually fell asleep, and that was when he finally dared to cross to that side of the hut. She was sleeping on her side, turned away from him. The window above her head cast light from the moon on her.

Inuyasha smiled softly, thinking about how innocent she looked. He sat down next to her, and leaned against the wall. Slowly he started to drift to sleep, feeling sure in the knowledge that she would be there when he woke up, and everything would be ok.

A/N

Thank you to those of you who have reviewed. I always appreciate the feedback. I hope everyone who's read this enjoyed it. Have a great night.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha

Chapter 5:

Kagome woke to the morning sun shining in from the window above her head. She woke slowly, letting herself drift up from sleep instead of waking up immediately. When they would travel Kagome always felt that she had to prove that she was just as capable of hunting down Naraku as the rest of the group, so she would get up early and work as hard as she could. Now Naraku was gone, and she could take her time waking up, and start the day a little more relaxed.

As she lay there Kagome tried her best not to think too hard about what had happened between her and Inuyasha the night before. The rush of emotions had kept her awake for a good while last night, but this morning she didn't want to become caught up in the what if's. He had kissed her, well, he had done more than kiss her. She hadn't even tried to fight back, not that she really wanted to. Something about him just assuming that she would accept his advances made her want to object, just a little. Only in hindsight of course. During she couldn't even breath, let alone come up with an argument as to why they shouldn't be doing…that. She was confused, but when wasn't she?

Kagome let out a little sigh, and sat up. Looking around groggily she realized that she was completely alone. Early that morning she had thought she heard someone moving around, and now she knew that it was Inuyasha leaving. For a moment she let herself feel disappointed. She'd at least wanted to be told good morning after their little incident last night.

Pushing her hurt feelings aside Kagome got ready for the day, and headed over to Kaede's to find something to do. In the future Kagome had known that she could have gone to college, and started a career. In the past there really wasn't a path that she knew was the right one for her. Everything had happened so fast these last few days, and now she didn't know what she was supposed to think. She had fought so hard for the well to open, and when it did she knew that she had to go with him. She had her own life, and her friends, but without him it was empty. Everything seemed to feel just a little shallow, and no matter how hard she tried she wasn't able to fix that feeling.

She just wasn't sure what her purpose was here. In the future she could have been a teacher, or a doctor, but what skills did she have that matched this time period? She didn't know how to farm, or sew, or do much of anything that woman did on this side of the well. She also didn't really want to do most of what would be considered women's work. She'd spent most of her life in the 21st century, where women were just as important as men. The idea that now she was expected to just listen to someone else for the rest of her life was ridicules. So the question was, what to do now? Should she try and learn healing from Kaede? Should she help Inuyasha hunt demons? Maybe she could become a priestess?

Kagome snorted and marked that last one off her list. She might learn the basic usage of her powers, but there was no way she was taking any vows to become a priestess. She'd been back one day and she already wanted to jump Inuyasha. She was not going to be able to survive a vow of celibacy.

And that brought her thoughts back around to her wayward half demon. Where the hell was he? She had expected him to not be around all day every day, but it was only her second day back, you would think he'd want to stay close! Her frustration started to build slowly, and one small part of her mind started to wonder if she had made the right choice. She had sworn to stay by him forever, but what if he didn't stay with her? Had she come back here only to be treated the same way as she had before?

Kagome tried to bury that thought, and as she arrived at Kaede's hut she knew that if he kept on acting so secretive she wasn't going to be able to keep those thoughts at bay. She needed him here.

/break/

Inuyasha grunted as he picked up another large log. The foundation of their home was complete, and in all honesty he could probably have the whole thing done by tomorrow if he didn't worry too much about how it looked, but he wanted it to be perfect. The foundation hinted at a large home, with several separated rooms. He had been in the future so often he knew what kind of home she expected from him, and he would give it to her. A large estate would take time, and might not be what they both wanted, but for now a medium sized one story house was what he wanted to give her.

She had been gone for so long, he couldn't believe that he hadn't started this sooner. A small part of him had doubted that she would come back at all, and that thought had kept him from creating a home for them both, his doubts making it seem silly and pointless. It would have stood as a testimony to the woman he would never have, and that kind of painful reminder in his forest was not something he needed. He had started it as soon as she had come back, and that was what mattered.

He had been working hard all morning, trying to use the day as much as possible. Kagome had been asleep when he left, and a small part of him felt guilty at not saying goodbye, and sneaking away like a coward. With a deep breath he lifted another log, forcing it to fit where he wanted it. He couldn't admit of course that he was afraid. Last night had gotten out of hand, and there was no going back. The next time he saw her Inuyasha knew that he wouldn't be able to stop himself from touching her. Everything had been so simple when he first saw her. In her time it wouldn't have mattered that he was a half demon and she was a human. All he could concentrate on before was the fact that he had her back, and she was safe. Now it hadn't even been two days and he couldn't keep himself from attacking her. The real fear was that he would look in her eyes and find disgust, or anger at what they had started. He knew she cared for him, she had given up everything for him, but did that mean she wanted him?

Inuyasha growled and punched a still standing tree. It fell to the ground with a dull thud, and he shook out his fist to get rid of the numb feeling that had started to spread up his knuckles. Every time he thought of her he got tense, and he would knock down another tree. She deserved better than to be molested on her first night. He had done all the things he shouldn't have, and it drove him crazy. How could he be such a fool? She wouldn't want him, not when he was being such a jackass.

He didn't go back to the village until almost sundown, wearing out his body as much as possible before he went any where near her. She was still at Kaede's when he returned, and he could tell by her scent that she was furious with him. When he went into the hut she just looked up for a moment, and returned to what she was doing. A little girl sat in her lap, a villager that he had seen before, and cried over a cut that had marked her across the leg. Kagome continued to ignore him and worked on the little girls cut, cleansing it with an herbal mix that smelled awful, and wrapping a small bandage around it.

As he watched her Inuyasha's emotions were thrown again. She was so gentle with the little girl, and he started to wonder what she would be like as a mother. Something deep inside of him approved of the way she handled the crying child, gentle but still firm. He knew that when she had children of her own she would raise them the same way, gently but with a firm hand. The demon in him knew that she was ready to have children, that her body was capable of bearing them. Inuyasha had to stop himself from going down that road. He had been so determined not to try anything tonight. He needed to talk to her, and badly. Either her actions drew out a positive response from the demon half of him, or the human, but either way she was driving him absolutely nuts. She didn't do it on purpose, and he knew that, but he also couldn't help but react to his own instincts.

Inuyasha watched as Kagome cuddled the little girl close to her, and then quickly handed her off to her mother. The woman thanked her, and tickled the child as she left the hut, making the little girl laugh. Kagome still wouldn't look at him, she was too damn mad. He had been gone all day, without a word as to where he was going. She had tried not to be too hurt by it, trying to rationalize why he would leave, but she couldn't. He had left her for the entire day, disregarding the fact that she had just come back from her time to join him. Their time together hadn't even lasted one day before he decided to run off and leave her to do, what? She knew he hadn't thought about that. He was just being selfish, assuming that she would just spend the day twiddling her thumbs while he was off doing god knows what. She was furious, and every movement she made seemed to grow more sharp as her anger spread. She'd been able to be pleasant before, but now with him standing there in front of her, acting like there wasn't anything wrong, she couldn't help but get more and more upset.

Kagome glared at him for a moment before snapping out, "I made dinner in the hut Kaede leant us. It's ready now."

Without another word, or a backwards glance, Kagome charged towards their hut. Inuyasha felt a small smile slip onto his face, and he knew that if she turned around and saw it she would be even more upset. Of course she wasn't going to turn around. He knew this mood too well, having seen it time after time on the road. She was going to be angry with him for a while, and refuse to even look at him without glaring, and eventually she would explode and he would find out why she was so damn mad at him. Of course this time he had a little idea about why she was so upset, but he would know for sure eventually. Not to mention she looked amazing when she was upset. His smile turned into a smirk, and he had to work to get it off his face. It wasn't ok to take pleasure in her pain.

When they got back to the hut Kagome stomped around, refusing to acknowledge Inuyasha in any way other than to slam his dinner in front of him. When she ate her dinner she even went as far as to face away from him. Inuyasha's smile slipped back onto his face, and he covered it up by taking a bite from dinner. She was amazing. Her she was, obviously ready to tear him to pieces, and all she was doing was make him want her more. He loved when she got so intense, he knew that she would be able to hold her own with him for the rest of his life, and that made him completely addicted to her. Everything about her was sexy, when she was happy, sad, angry.

He had no idea what he had done to make her this upset, but he couldn't help but wonder. He felt a little guilty that he was letting her stay so upset for so long, but he also was a little afraid that she'd use the word that both of them had managed to avoid. He didn't think she could go one whole day without saying it, but they had managed two, and he wanted to keep it that way.

As she finished her dinner Kagome realized that she might have been acting a little immature. She had been so furious that he hadn't even said a word in apology for this morning that she had stomped around like a child throwing a tantrum. She knew better than that, he just could drive her to the edge with his unwillingness to share. Last night they had gotten so close to each other, but now he acted like he always had. It was frustrating, thinking that they had moved forward only to have Inuyasha try to step back to the way things used to be.

When she would look at him she saw the man he had become, and maybe a part of her had hoped that he had grown, just a little. He looked the same, but so different. The way he was meekly sitting there eating his dinner was so similar to the way he used to be that she couldn't imagine that he'd matured at all. If she was going to live here things had to change, starting with his obsession with not to open up. He needed to be with her, not just near her.

The little voice in the back of her head telling her that he didn't really want her, but had become so used to her that he couldn't seem to let her go, had grown as the day went on. Everything seemed more important. Every time he looked at her but didn't say anything, or their eyes met and he continued to eat like they weren't fighting drove her even further into doubt. How could he be such an ass? When he hadn't come back for lunch she had been furious, but willing to let it go. Just because she came back to the past didn't mean his life ended and he had to spend all of his time with her. She understood that, but when he came back, seeing she was mad, and did nothing, Kagome couldn't seem to move past it.

For their entire relationship, friendship, whatever the hell it is, they hadn't been open, or shared very much of anything with each other. She had always been too afraid that what she said would be the last straw to drive him away, and he was just a closed person, without any urgent need to share his feelings with anyone. Kagome could feel them slipping back into that habit, and she knew it was partially her fault. She shouldn't have gotten so upset and than said nothing to him about it. There wasn't any reason for her to expect him to magically know what she was thinking.

With a small sigh Kagome put down her bowl and turned to Inuyasha. He knew she was finally going to explain whatever it was that had been bothering her so damn much. Was he sure he wanted to know? Not really, but better to hear it now than three days from now when she would be so upset he wouldn't be able to understand what she was saying, let alone how to fix it. He knew he had to fix it, that wasn't the question, the only question was whether or not he'd be able to.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked softly, looking down at her hands. She still wasn't ready to look him in the eye, and honestly didn't want to. She was a little upset, guilty, and embarrassed by her feelings, and she didn't want him to see all that.

"Hmm?" He tried not to say anything that'd make her more angry, so he just made a soft noise in reply. He was a little startled when he could smell an increased amount of anger coming from her, and he knew that whatever the hell he had done, he'd just made it worse.

"See, and that's exactly what I'm so upset about. Did you even think of waiting until I was awake to leave this morning? Or were you too busy trying to get away from me? God Inuyasha, I haven't even been back a week and you're already disappearing to who knows where doing who knows what! Look, you don't need to be around all day every day, but seriously? Not even a good morning?" her voice started to waiver a little as he just sat there, staring at her.

Inuyasha kept his face as neutral as possible. She was upset because she hadn't seen enough of him? He had assumed she would want him out of the way, he'd pretty much attacked her last night, and now she was upset because he'd kept away? She made absolutely no sense. How the hell was he supposed to be able to understand what the hell she wanted. First they both kept themselves apart, then he gets way too close, and now she's pissed because he'd kept to himself. He knew he couldn't be upset that she was so angry, it wasn't like she knew what he was doing when he was away, but it still hurt a little.

He'd been working so hard all day, and he wasn't sure what to tell her. He wanted it to be a surprise, but he also didn't want her to be upset. He was going to be gone for at least another day or two. It took him a moment to realize that he had waited too long to respond. Her face had gone from angry to hurt, and that killed him a little. He hated seeing her mouth turn down just that fraction that meant she was going to try and hide it, and the sorrow in her eyes when she looked at him. They always seemed so large, and when they swam with tears he swore he couldn't look away. He'd fucked up, big time.

"Kagome." he started, but wasn't able to get any farther because she was shrugging off his words, halting anything he would have said with her own words.

"It's fine, actually, don't worry about it. I'm not really in a good mood. Maybe I just need a good nights sleep." Kagome put on a sweet smile, and started to clean up their dishes. She took Inuyasha's half eaten dinner and placed it near the entrance, her gentleness in placing them there seeming forced. She didn't look at him, just turned to the little bedroom nook. Before she disappeared she called over her shoulder, "Maybe tomorrow we can go visit Miroku and Sango? I hear they live nearby, and it would be nice to see them again."

Inuyasha listened as she got ready, knowing that she was probably going to beat the crap out of him later. When she finally stopped being hurt and upset, and started to get really angry again, they would fight, and he would find a way to fix it. They always ended up alright, and they would this time. They had to.

It took her a while, but she finally drifted off to sleep, her body starting to relax and her breath coming out deep and even. Inuyasha snuck over and sat down next to her side. How had he fucked up so quickly? It was like they had picked up where the left off, and not the good parts, but all the worst aspects of themselves. He had already hurt her, and drove her to want to get comfort from her friends. He knew she would want to know what happened to Sango and Miroku, and she must have asked Kaede where they had gone. Tomorrow he would run her over, they hadn't gone even twenty minutes away if he ran it his way. Then he would disappear until later when he came to pick her up. He needed to finish tomorrow, and fix this. She would be hurt a little more, and he didn't want to do that, but there wasn't any other way to do it.

He hesitantly reached out and gently placed his hand on her arm, running his fingers up and down her skin. He had missed her when she was gone, and now she was back and he was screwing up. He would fix this, and all of it would be better. They would talk, really talk, once he had somewhere to keep her safe. He just had to keep her safe.

With that thought in his mind Inuyasha drifted off to sleep, his mind coming up with all the ways he could keep her safe from harm. He could still see the blood, smell her pain and fear. He had tried to forget, but it was so deeply engrained in his mind he thought it might never go away. He would never let her get hurt like that again. Never.

/break/

The room was dark, just a little light coming in through a small window. No fire was lit, and no torches kept the room from growing cold. The room was in the center of a large, sprawling estate. The estate was beautiful, and obviously owned by someone who cared. It was protected by guards who marched along all night long, never seeming to care how late the hour, or what the weather, they were there. Always watching, and always waiting. The room was completely protected, but the woman inside new that they would not protect her, but kill her if they got the chance.

The woman was laying on a small bed pressed against the wall, the thin blanket they had provided her barley enough to ward off the cold at night. No matter how important her father was she knew they hated her, the guards. They looked at her like she was the lowest creature, or the biggest whore. She knew that they watched her when she bathed, or changed, like she had no honor left. It made her skin crawl, and she hated them. They had taken joy in treating her like a lowly slave, and every time she grew a little more angry, and a little more broken.

The woman let out a small noise of discomfort, and pressed her hand to her stomach. Her child was an active one, and had a tendency to kick when she tried to lay flat. She loved her baby, more than anything in the world. Gently she ran her hand down her stomach, trying to sooth the child curled up inside. The woman started to hum a lullaby softly, and let her mind imagine what everything could be like.

If she were free she would be sitting beneath a tree, eating an apple. Her child wouldn't have anything to fear, and would be growing healthy inside her. The baby's father would be just around the corner, watching over the two of them. The summer day would be warm, and she would soak up the feeling of the sun on her skin. Soon she was forced back to reality by quick rap on the door, stabbing a small knife of fear into her spine.

After a moment a man came by holding a tray full of food. He opened the door gently and eased himself into the room, closing it again without making a sound. He lay the tray next to her bed on a small table, and waited for her to look at him. The woman kept her face turned away, her mouth pressed into a prideful sneer and her eyes looking at the wall beside her, like his appearance was completely unimportant. When he didn't leave immediately the woman felt nervous, unsure as to why this guard had decided to stay so long. She was always afraid that one of them would get too physical, or would take out their prejudice on her child. Even unborn they hated it.

"Hey, it's me, would you look already?" the man whispered, anxiously looking out the window to make sure no one was close enough to over hear.

The woman's head snapped around, and her eyes started to tear up when she realized help was here. "What are you doing here, I thought father forbid anyone from being near me until I gave birth?" The woman asked, feeling slight fear for the man in front of her, but the fear for her child was greater, and she would not send this help away.

"Father is a moron and you know it. Our Lord has decided that both you and the child should die. He believes that you are now tainted. I don't care what happens to the brat, but I won't let you die." her brother sounded so proud. The woman would take the help, but she knew that eventually she would have to get away from her own brother, because out of fear and anger he would kill her child.

The woman just nodded to him, and started to stand. She was only 6 months pregnant, but she was already feeling like she couldn't grow any bigger. Her brother came to help her stand, and when they were both secure on their feet he went out and checked the hallway by the room. It was empty, and her brother nodded and pulled her along. The woman tried not to let her fear over take her, knowing that from now on she would have to be brave for her baby.

It took longer than they thought, and when they finally reached the servants entrance they already had been forced to hide several times. No one was expected to check on her for a while at least, and she knew that she would have to be far away by then. No one cared if she was cold, or if she got sick. They all hoped for her baby to die. With that thought the woman placed her hand protectively over her stomach, and took the cloak her brother was handing her. They would sneak out as servants, and get as far away as possible.

Wrapped in the cloak the woman put a scarf over her hair, and felt better when her brother told her she looked like any other old servant woman, a little over weight, and tired. The woman and her brother headed towards the exit, the woman staring at the ground like it was going to swallow her whole.

"Where do you think your going?" Fear traced it's way down the woman's spine when she heard the servants exit guard pause her brother, holding him back. She glanced up and met her brothers eyes, and with a gesture he urged her forward. She continued with the rest of the servants, pretending that one guard being pulled aside meant nothing to her, just as it meant nothing to any of the other servants.

"You're still on duty. You'll not be leaving until you finish your shift boy. Get back to your post." The guard growled.

The woman relaxed a little, feeling better knowing that they had not yet been discovered. This was her chance, she could get away from everyone and save her child. Now she just had to figure out how to get away quickly, and where to go.

Right outside the main household, on her side of the wall, stood the stables. The woman knew that when she had been 'welcomed' here they had taken her horse and placed it with the others there. Slowly the woman creped into the stables, looking for anyone that would stop her. There was a single stable boy, brushing his last horse, looking exhausted as he stood there. When the woman entered he looked straight at her, and she could see the recognition fill his eyes. He knew who she was, but would he tell?

The woman slowly approached the boy, trying to see how he would react. The boy took one step back, and than another, keeping as much distance between them as possible. Finally she took one step too many, and the boy turned and fled. The woman didn't try and find her own horse, just grabbed the one in front of her. She saddled the strange animal, and climbed onto his back, giving a fleeting thought to whether or not riding would hurt her growing baby. It didn't matter, this was their only chance for escape.

Together the rider and horse thundered out of the stable, charging as quickly as possible towards the forest that surrounded the estate. They needed to get as far away as they could in the next few hours, and stay as hidden as possible.

The woman thought as she rode, trying to decide which direction to go. She knew the father wouldn't want them. He was alright with being in love with a human, but when she had become pregnant he had demanded she get rid of the abomination. When she refused he left her, saying that he would not be a part of bringing that into the world. Her father had much the same reaction. He had locked her into the Lords estates and told her he was going to kill her child when it was born. Free the world from another monster. She had no where to turn.

For a moment she started to slow, unsure what to do. Doubts started to fill her mind, and she knew that no matter where she went no one would accept her child. Almost everyone thought that her child would be evil, or mad. Her child would be killed, by his father, or his grandfather. If it's own family couldn't accept it, than how could anyone else?

Her doubt lasted only a moment. In her mind she remembered a legend, of a half demon like her baby who had reached adulthood. He was strong too, and he had found himself a village that allowed him to live nearby. With determination filling her, the woman turned her mount and headed full speed towards the place called Inuyasha's Forest. He would take in her child, her half dog demon child. She repeated that to herself until she was so exhausted she couldn't think anymore.

A/N

Thank you to those who reviewed. I really appreciate the feedback I've gotten. I hope you enjoyed this, and I look forward to your opinions.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.

Chapter 6:

The sun hadn't risen yet, and the world was chilled by the predawn cold. The birds were already up, singing their welcome to the dawn that was going to come. When Inuyasha slowly started to drift out of his deep sleep the world seemed to be moving along at a normal pace. Last night he had snuck out for a few hours and worked on the house, trying to get as much done as possible. He needed less rest than others, and had worked tirelessly until well into the night. Inuyasha had eventually snuck back in, moving silently so he wouldn't wake up an emotionally exhausted Kagome.

He woke up slowly, not paying attention much to his surroundings, well as much as he could. He could hear Kagome breathing, appearing to be asleep by the pace. He could hear a cat walking by the outside of the hut, but that was all peripheral. He felt relaxed for the first time in years. The house was mostly finished. He'd finished the foundation and the outer walls last night, and had even had time to finish some of the inner walls. His home was almost complete, and knowing that soon he would have a place that was his own healed a part of him that he hadn't even known was broken. It had been so long since he'd had a place that he would call home, a place where he knew no one could challenge him. Well except for Kagome, she could pretty much challenge him anytime she wanted. Still, building a place where he would have a family, and live in peace, was more than he had thought he would ever get.

Well, that was if he didn't screw it up. She was already so damn mad at him. Getting a home, a place to live, was his dream, but if it wasn't hers he was screwed. He knew that she was the other part that would make him better, fix whatever went wrong, but he also knew that he was not the best at making her happy. A lot of the time he knew he didn't deserve her, but he wasn't strong enough to let her go.

Inuyasha cracked on eye and looked down at Kagome. He was sitting behind her, leaning against the wall of the hut. At some point after he had gotten back a blanket had found it's way across his shoulders, and he smiled a little when he realized Kagome had woken up, put a blanket on him, and gone back to bed without him even realizing it. He had been more tired than he thought, which worried him a little. If she could move around and not wake him, he might have missed something else that would have hurt them. He pushed the thought aside, and looked down at Kagome. They were fine, and that was what mattered.

She had been so frustrated with him last night, but had still wanted to keep him warm. She was so damn caring. She never seemed to give up on him, even when she wanted to strangle him. She was laying on her side, facing him, one arm curled up under her pillow, the other flung out, her hand almost brushing against his leg. Inuyasha pealed back the blanket around him, and laid it down on top of her. Kagome muttered softly, and pulled it closer to her.

With a small grunt Inuyasha stood and walked out into the common area. A small part of him felt confined by the small space, knowing that soon they would have something bigger and better. He wanted to show it to her now, wanting to be done, but he also knew that as a surprise it was a much better gift. The center fire pit had gone down to just embers, and Inuyasha built it back up a little. He didn't want to get the hut too warm, but he needed the fire to be just a little bit bigger.

Kagome woke up some time later, when the sun had already risen into the sky. She noticed that the blanket she had given Inuyasha the night before had been placed over her, and she smiled a little, pulling it closer. When she looked over to where he'd been sleeping she saw that he was gone, and part of her was afraid he had completely ignored her and left once again. Slowly she got up and pulled her hair up into a quick bun. Wrapping the blanket around her she peeked her head on the other side of the curtain and felt her heart warm at the sight. Inuyasha was hunched over a medium sized fire, a frying pan held out over the fire. A bowl was already set up beside him, everything placed nicely. When she stepped out from behind the curtain Inuyasha turned, his eyes a little distracted and flicking back to the pan in front of him every few seconds.

"I made your plate first. I can warm it back up if it got cold." He smiled at her, and turned back to the fire, biting his lower lip in concentration.

Kagome laughed, and sat down next to him, picking up her plate. "It still feels warm to me."

Inuyasha just nodded and focused his attention on the food that was cooking. When he could see that it was done he quickly pulled it out of the fire, and placed it haphazardly on his plate. He turned towards her with a big grin, and proudly picked up a spoon. "Ha! See, I can cook. I don't know what they hell Miroku and Sango always complained about."

Kagome placed her hand over her mouth, trying hard not to laugh at him. He looked like twelve year old who had just proven that he was the best in the world. When his face suddenly turned serious, Kagome felt a pang of sadness. She was enjoying not being mad at him.

"Look Kagome, I'm sorry. I just had some stuff to do. I'll probably be done with it today, tomorrow at the latest. I figured you'd be wanting some space anyway, so yeah, I didn't really think ok? Just, I'm going to bring you to see Sango and Miroku, and then I'm gonna head back and try and finish today. I swear I'll come get you at sundown and I'll bring some meat back for dinner and we'll eat together, ok?" He knew he was babbling, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't tell what the hell kind of look that was on her face. Why the hell wouldn't she let him see what she was thinking? She used to be so easy to read damn it!

It took Kagome a moment to deal with the change of topic, but when she finally grasped what he had said she gave him one of her biggest smiles. Her whole face lit up, and she looked like he had just given her everything she ever wanted. He smiled back at her, not really sure what was happening, but willing to go with it.

"Thank you Inuyasha, that sounds perfect! Do they know that I've come back?" Kagome asked, thinking ahead to when she would be seeing her friend again.

Inuyasha shook his head, flinging his bangs into his eyes. Kagome leaned forward, without a thought about what she was doing, and brushed them back into place. Inuyasha caught her hand and held it in his, pulling her forward and closer to him. Their half eaten breakfast was forgotten, both of them focused on what was happening.

Inuyasha pulled her until she was right in front of him. Kagome let out a small gasp, her face confused and shocked. Without hesitating Inuyasha pulled her into his lap and turned her so she was facing away from him. He rested his chin on her shoulder, and placed her bowl in her lap.

"I don't think they know you're here. Word travels pretty slow in between towns, and you just got back. You could probably surprise them still." He answered, acting like what he had done was completely normal.

Inuyasha smiled, loving that he had just completely thrown her. Kagome's scent had spiked for a moment, and he wasn't sure that he'd be able to resist kissing her, or worse really, but once he had her in his lap she had become more nervous than anything. He'd been able to hold himself back, but he couldn't have kept from touching her. When she'd reached out and touched him so casually he'd known that he had to at least do something. He buried his head into her hair while he waited for her to relax into him, and smiled. He loved how she felt against him, so soft and warm. He had never been one for touching, always willing to keep himself separated, but with her he couldn't. He had had a craving to touch her since the first night, and as long as he kept himself under control he knew that he'd be able to enjoy just being with her.

"I missed you." He mumbled into her neck, letting his arms tighten for a moment. Kagome rested her hands on his arms, and nodded quickly. He could smell the slightly salty scent of her tears. She relaxed against him and leaned her head against his, resting there for just a moment. "I missed you too." She whispered.

She picked her bowl back up and continued to eat, trying not to get too emotional. She knew he didn't like it when she cried, but if the talked about this she would cry. She wasn't ready and she was pretty sure he wasn't either. The time they spent apart had been the worst in her life, always wondering if he was alive, or if she had just imagined him being alright when she had last seen him. Wondering if she would ever see him again, and if she would get her life back. All that pain, and it had built up over the years instead of dissipating.

After a while Kagome finished her breakfast and they just sat like that, together, trying to relearn the feel of what it was like to be with the other. She had missed him, and he had missed her, and now was their chance to get back some of what they had. Of course things were different. They had both changed, but right now they could learn new things about each other, and let themselves grow together instead of being pulled apart.

Inuyasha was the first one to move, and he gently placed a kiss on the top of her head, then helped her stand. They had places to go, and people to see, and they would have more time to spend together. He was anxious to get the house done. When it was done they could spend as much time together as they wanted, not just these small little moments.

"I'm going to take a quick bath and get dressed, then I'll be ready to go." Kagome said, pulling out some cloths to wear for the day. Inuyasha nodded, having figured she would probably want to do that. She was a very clean person. He should probably try and take after her a little more, but he wanted to do something while she was bathing, and wouldn't have time to do both.

He waited until she was gone from the hut, and already out of sight before he hurried towards the forest. He didn't go too quickly, but he went fast enough that she wouldn't have been able to keep up with him. Tree's blurred past him until he reached the edge of the piece of land he'd given Shippou. Cautiously Inuyasha entered the young fox demons territory, using his nose to see where the boy was. He remained careful, sticking to the trees as much as possible. He needed to be stay downwind of Shippou, not wanting to alert the boy that he was being checked in on.

He found Shippou not too far from the center of his small territory, and he almost gave himself away with a laugh when he saw the state that the boy was in. Shippou had dirt and leaves matted into his hair, and his cloths had small tears in places. The 'shelter' that he had started to build was a sad little collection of smaller trees, placed in a way that resembled a tent. There wasn't any kind of roof, and Inuyasha knew that if it rained in the next few days Shippou would be getting wet.

He was trying though, and Inuyasha could see some pride in the boy when he paused from trying to add more wood to the shack. That was the whole point, knowing that you could survive on your own, and that everything on your land was built with your own two hands. Shippou had been coddled by both Kagome and the family that Inuyasha had sent him to, the boy needed to learn how to be on his own. This would teach him.

Feeling some satisfaction that Shippou was alright, and would be in the future, Inuyasha left. He took his time returning, knowing that she would be in the hot spring for a long time trying to make herself presentable when she saw Sango after all these years. When he did finally get back to the hut she hadn't returned yet, and he snorted at his accurate assessment of her. It wasn't too long until she came back, humming softly.

"Hey! Where were you? I came back for my soap and you were gone." Kagome asked, her voice laced with confusion.

Inuyasha blushed, realizing that if he told her that he was checking on Shippou he would be caught doing something nice, and he wasn't sure he liked that idea. It would ruin his reputation. Kagome raised an eyebrow at his blush and looked at him expectantly.

Inuyasha sighed and snapped, "I was checking on the little shit."

It took a moment for Kagome to figure out exactly which 'little shit' he was talking about, but when she did she laughed. She quickly turned it into a cough when she saw the look he was giving her. "Really? How is he?" She asked innocently, her face free of any laughter.

"Dirty, crappy hut, but fine. He'll figure it out." Inuyasha answered gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Kagome nodded, satisfied that if there had been something seriously wrong he would have told her. She quickly put her things away and they went outside into the sunlight. The day was beautiful, and Kagome was ready to spend it catching up with her best friends. She was startled for a moment when Inuyasha crouched down, offering his back to her. It had been so long since she had felt the soaring sensation of Inuyasha running, and she eagerly climbed up.

For a moment it was like the both of them had returned to the time before all of their pain. Kagome gripped his shoulders, and Inuyasha let out a deep breath, and then he ran. All they could feel for a moment was joy, the rightness of what was happening making them feel like they were kids again. Kagome let out a loud peel of laughter, throwing her arms up in the air as Inuyasha sped up.

Inuyasha laughed as well, but his was more to himself than anything else. Her excitement was contagious, and he went as fast as he could, jumping from tree top to tree to until all they had was a flat plain to run on. He loved the feel of her on his back, the familiar feeling one that he never wanted to loose. It was like she had never left, and at the same time been gone too long.

Their joy lasted all the way to the village that Miroku and Sango had settled in. When Inuyasha landed softly outside the grouping of houses he felt like it wasn't enough time, like they could have gone on for days. With a little regret he let her off, and they started walking towards the hut that Inuyasha could smell belonged to the couple. Inuyasha was hesitant, the steps taking him forward slowing down as he got closer.

It had been almost four months since he had last seen them. They had brought him a picnic and had set it up right next to the well, their almost year old child playing next to the blanket. They came every few months, but never on a regular schedule. They had their own life, the kind of life that he had abandoned. He knew they didn't hate him, but they had grown apart, and now he wasn't sure how to approach them. For them life had moved on, but for him it had been frozen until the well had pulled him towards the world that held Kagome. Without her his life had come to a dead halt, but they had continued, and had even created new life. How could he go to them now and expect them to just want to pick up where they had left off? There was no way for that to happen. Everything had changed too much.

Kagome saw him slowing down, and slowed her pace to walk with him. She could see the worry written across his face, and she started to feel a little nervous herself. Sango and Miroku would be older, and would have moved on with their lives. Kagome knew that she had changed, and there was no way that both Miroku and Sango had stayed the exact same. Would they still be friends? Kagome didn't know if she could stand it if they had become so different that they wouldn't be able to connect like they had before. Maybe they should have thought this through a little more before just barging into their town and home, and the life they had built.

"Uncl' Yasha!" A little voice yelled, and a chubby little toddler waddled over to grab Inuyasha's pants. The voice turned the heads of two adults, who had previously been talking with their neighbors. Sango's face scrunched up in confusion, walking over to Inuyasha. Kagome had drifted off to the side, and neither Sango nor Miroku saw her immediately, they were to focused on the strange sight in front of them. Inuyasha had left his post.

"Inuyasha?" Sango called, "What are you doing here? Did something happen? Are you alright? I haven't seen you away from the well since…since Kagome left." Sango paused in front of him, her confusion growing. He looked better, like he had been taking care of himself for longer than the 20 minutes he usually allowed himself a month to be selfish and take care of his own needs.

"What Sango said." Miroku chimed in, standing just behind her.

Inuyasha ran his hand through his hand, not sure what to do. They obviously hadn't seen Kagome, and she was looking completely confused. After a moment he just pointed at her, letting their eyes tell them all the answers. With the other hand Inuyasha picked up the baby, not wanting her to get lost while his parents were caught up with their hello's.

It took them a moment to process what they were seeing. Everything seemed to still for those few seconds, the only one not phased being the little girl playing with Inuyasha's hair. The stillness ended when the Sango's shout cut through the air. Suddenly everything was in motion. Sango and Kagome were crying and hugging and laughing, Miroku was clapping Inuyasha on the back, and the rest of the villagers were watching them like they were crazy.

Inuyasha smiled at Miroku, something that Miroku hadn't seen in a very long time. Inuyasha had held back all emotion, just let himself fall back into time over the last few years. He would sit in his tree, all day, every day, and think about what had been. It hadn't been healthy, but something about it had also been so much a part of Inuyasha that neither him nor Sango had felt that they could take him from it. Without the well to watch Inuyasha would be lost. And to him 3 years was nothing, a little blip in the years he would have. Miroku had just decided to try and talk to him next time they got a chance to visit, but they hadn't been sure when that would be.

Sango and Kagome continued to cry as they hugged each other, babbling nonsensical things to each other. Kagome felt at home, like she had finally found that feeling she had expected to gain right away. Her eyes were overflowing with tears, her mind had blanked on words to say, and she had never been happier in her life. The friends she had on her side of the well had been sweet, but they had never understood her distance after high school, feeling that she had just grown apart from them. Occasionally they would all get together for old times sake, but they had never been as close as they had been before. She also knew that they would never understand pain, or suffering, or loss the way that she and Sango did. The trials they went through together had been something that bonded them together, and Kagome knew that it had been silly to think otherwise. They were best friends until the day they died.

Sango and Kagome finally began to calm down, their tears turning to laughing hiccups, and their excited hugging turning into a more calm version. As their emotions evened out they turned to the men and Kagome noticed a new little person being played with by Inuyasha. He had the baby girl curled up in his arms, as he tickled her. Kagome took a moment just to watch him play with the child, imagining what could have been, and what could still be.

"He's amazing with her isn't he?" Sango whispered into her ear, knowing that look in her friends eyes.

Kagome just nodded and smiled, not looking away. "She's beautiful Sango. How old is she?"

"Just over a year now. We took her to visit Inuyasha as soon as we thought it was safe to travel, but he hasn't had a chance to see her since." Sango answered, feeling a moment of guilt that they hadn't gone to see Inuyasha or the well in so long.

"What's her name?" Kagome asked, walking a little closer to the boys. Sango followed, laughing lightly as she did.

"Well thankfully I talked Miroku out of naming her something stupid. He is horrible at picking baby names, seriously. We had to fight over it, until we came up with the perfect name. Suki." Sango was beaming, looking at her beloved child.

Kagome nodded. She reached out and waved to the little girl, smiling at her. "Hello Suki, I'm Kagome." She said, trying to keep her voice from breaking. She was sad to have missed their wedding, and the birth of her closest friends first child. Here was a beautiful child that was the proof that they really had come to terms with who they were, and she envied them that.

Inuyasha saw a fleeting moment of sadness cross her eyes, but than it was gone, and her focus was back on the child in front of them. He turned towards Kagome a little and handed Suki to her, though it wasn't completely easy. The little girl had grabbed a handful of his shirt and protested being moved from "Uncl' Yasha" when he tried. Kagome laughed and when she finally had the baby, she distracted her enough that the baby didn't seem to mind being separated from her favorite uncle.

Inuyasha pulled Miroku aside, stepping a little ways away from the girls so they couldn't over hear.

"I have to leave."

Miroku snorted and gave him a not too pleasant look. "So you're going to leave me with the ladies alone? That's just cruel, what do you have to do that your going to leave me alone?"

"None of your damn business monk. You can 'handle' them just fine. I'm sure they won't want you around anyway. I'll be back to pick her up at dinner time."

Inuyasha didn't wait for a reply, but instead just walked over to the women and gave Kagome a small kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back by sundown."

Kagome just nodded and waved him off, too intent on talking to her friend to take in the fact that he had just given her another sign of affection. Or that he was doing it because he was leaving. By the time it had sunk in and she looked up he was already out of sight, and Miroku had run away to another part of village, leaving them with the baby.

"Figures he would take off without taking Suki. We want to catch up, but he leaves us with the baby to take care of." Sango muttered, looking around for her wandering husband.

Kagome laughed and shook her head, cuddling Suki a little closer. "No, really, it's alright. She's so cute I can't imagine her being a problem."

Sango let out a noise of disbelief. "You haven't been around a lot of one year olds have you?"

Kagome shook her head, and a sad smile crossed her face. "Maybe someday, but not soon. I just got back a few days ago, and we already have gotten into fights." There was no question about who the 'we' was, it had been obvious to Sango that something was not right between Kagome and Inuyasha.

Sango shrugged, "I don't know, Inuyasha hasn't really been dealing with people for a while. It might just be that he needs to adjust to it again. It's been 3 years since he's spent a long amount of time with anyone. Maybe you should just give him some time?" Kagome looked away, unsure what to think. That hadn't even crossed her mind. "Speaking of three years, how did you return? After the first year I began to think the well had closed for good!"

Kagome nodded, and began to retell the tale of how Inuyasha had gotten through. She also continued to play with Suki, letting her imagination wander in the back of her mind about the maybe one day when she would have a baby of her own. Would it have dog ears? Would the pregnancy be different? Questions that she hadn't dared think of while they traveled, and were too painful when they had been separated, now flooded her mind. But now? Now she let herself dream, just a little, about what could be.

/Break/

She had been chased for hours, men coming very close to catching her. The night had been the longest of her life, and no matter how long she had run they had refused to give up. For now she thought they were off her trail. In a moment of brilliance she had let her mount travel up stream in a small brook, and when she was sure they had gone far enough that they wouldn't be easy to find she had turned the horse back towards Inuyasha's forest, a place that was no her only hope.

The day had been long as well, because she needed to keep going. She did have to stop to rest her mount occasionally, but she only dared do that when it was absolutely necessary. She was determined not to get sidetracked from her destination. He was going to save her and her child.

She had heard stories about this man, the one who had defeated the powerful demon Naraku. Both had been extraordinarily powerful half demons, and news of the battle had spread quickly and far. It was said that he had a fondness for humans that most humans that untrue, and most demons thought weak. He had been accompanied by a companion that was a powerful priestess. She had disappeared after the battle, and the woman guessed that she had probably been killed. The man had also retreated from the world into his forest. Demons believed that the human woman had died, and he had been so struck with grief that he could not leave his territory any more. They had made fun of Inuyasha, saying that he was pathetic to be so upset about a human woman, but it had touched her. She knew that anyone who cared that deeply about a human woman would be capable of caring for a half demon child.

The road was getting dark, and the day had almost ended. She wasn't sure where she would camp for a few minutes, but from the way her baby was kicking she knew that she needed to rest soon. Every few moments she prayed that her flight wouldn't permanently harm her little one, but knew that if they didn't find somewhere to go where they would stay safe, the baby would die anyway. At least this way she knew that she'd tried to save it's life.

Up ahead the woman saw a small clearing, enough space for her to lay down and for her horse to graze. She guided the exhausted animal to the clearing, than released it to graze as it wanted. She had already learned that as long as you kept in sight the horse wouldn't wander far. On one side of the clearing a small patch of bushes stood against the trees. She knew that she should stay hidden, and she looked to see if there was a way for her to hide among them. Big as her stomach was the woman was still able to kneel down in the dirt and glance under the bushes. What she saw as enough to make her go back to the horse. She took off the saddle and bridal, and brushed him down with a comb she had stuffed into a saddlebag before she left. With a quick brush the horse looked much better, and seemed to be more upbeat and awake. His head raised instead of it being lowered to the ground, and he let her rest against him.

The woman pulled the horse over to the side of the woods and tied him up to a tree. He wouldn't be immediately noticeable, and she made sure that he could get to some grass if needed. Once the horse was taken care of she went back to the grouping of bushes and crawled underneath the branches. In the center of the bushes was a completely clear area, big enough for her to lay down and take a long needed rest. She would be completely out of sight, and she would be safe to rest for a little while. With a sigh she turned onto her side and curled up. One arm was tucked under her head as a pillow, and the other lay protectively against her stomach.

As she drifted to sleep she promised herself that she wouldn't stay too long. She was going to get up in just an hour or so and continue. She only had one more day to go before she would be at her destination, and she wanted to beat the men there.

Her mind started to lose the ability to form complete sentences, and she was quickly asleep in her protected corner.


End file.
